(1)(使)縮小(短)((cause to) become smaller or shorter)[I，I+prep(to)，T+n，T+n+prep(to)]：Water～s in cold weather.水在冷天收縮。Metal～s when cooled.金屬受冷收縮。Our foreign markets are/business is～ing. (fig) 我們的國外市場(chǎng)/買賣越來越小。“Is not” often～s/can be～ed to “isn't”. is not 常/可被縮寫成isn't?！纪絚ondense，shorten;〖反〗expand，enlarge，lengthen;
(2)(使)收縮(變窄)((cause to) become tighter or narrower)[I，I+prep(to)，T+n，T+n+prep(to)]：The muscles of your arm～when you bend your elbow.彎肘時(shí)手臂肌肉收縮。The tunnel～s to a narrow passageway there.隧道在那里變成窄小的通道。～a muscle收縮肌肉;〖同〗 tighten，narrow;〖反〗 expand，swell，widen;
→ con′tractible adj 有收縮性的;con′tractile adj 有收縮性的;con′traction n 收縮;縮寫;
【辨異】contract與condense、compress和concentrate的區(qū)別見 CONCENTRATE。